84 



THE NATUKALIST. 



KOTES ON THE OENITHOLGY OF NOEFOLK. 



ByT. E, Gunn, 



Kite. I have to record the occurrence of a magnificent adult male 

 specimen of the Kite Falco milvus,, on our coast on the 3 0th instant. This 

 species being a very rare visitor to this county, as indeed it is to most parts 

 of the British Isles, a few particulars respecting the ahove individual may 

 he interesting to some of the readers of the Naturalist It was killed on 

 the ahove date, by a gentleman named Wliaite, at Martham, which is about 

 two miles distant from the sea coast, and eight from Great Yarmouth. It 

 measured twenty-seven inches in length from beak to tail both inclusive. The 

 head is ash grey with narrow brown streaks down the centre of each feather, 

 which are long and pointed ; those of its crown are also tinged at the mar- 

 gins, with pale yellowish brown. The surface of its back is dark brown, the 

 feathers margined with rufou.s brown. Its wings are long and pointed, and 

 measure when fully extended five feet one inch across to the extreme tips of 

 each : the primary quill feathers are narrow, the first five black, the 

 fourth the longest extending three-eighths of an inch beyond the others ; the 

 fifth to the tenth are brown with rufous brown on the outer webs, with the inner 

 webs and the tips are dull white, crossed by bars of darker brown ; the 

 remainder of the feathers are brownish black. Upper wing coverts rufous 

 brown, streaked with dark brown. Its breast and abdomen are of a reddish 

 brown, each feather streaked with dark brown. Its thighs are reddish brown, 

 slightly paler than its breast, the shafts of the feathers only being dark brown. 

 It has a splendid tail which is fourteen and a half inches in length, the outer 

 feathers of each side project three and a half inches beyond the tips of the 

 centre ones ; the upper surface is reddish brown, tips of feathers dull white ') 

 under surface pale reddish brown, the two outer feathers of each side are of a 

 pale brown on the outer webs and towards the tips, barred with darker 

 brown on the inner webs ; shaft of feathers, black, upper and'^under tail 

 coverts reddish bro-\vn. Iris and cere, yellow. Bill, brownish black at the 

 tip, assuming a pale horn at the base ; legs and toes, yellow ; claws, black. 

 The bird was in good condition and weighed two pounds withTthe exception 

 of two ounces. The weight of examples of this species as given in Morris 

 " British Birds" Vol. I. page 76, is from, two pounds six ounces to two 

 pounds and three quarters. The stomach of the above specimen which I 

 dissected contained a few pieces of reeds and some feathers, the latter appa- 

 rently those of the winglet of the common Scoter, Anas nigra. 



